


The Chroma Conclave

by GeminiMoon14



Series: Heroes of Tal'Dorei [3]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Modern with Magic, Alternate Universe - Superheroes/Superpowers, Damsels in Distress, Fantasy Races, Gen, Hostage Situations, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, Paralysis, Protectiveness, Rescue, Rescue Missions, Spoilers, Spoilers for Episode 85, Villains, it's Scanlan again
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28042152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GeminiMoon14/pseuds/GeminiMoon14
Summary: Scanlan was in so much trouble when he got home. Vox Machina tended to have a rule about him going out on his own but he had figured it was no big deal. He had taken the job because it was better than before but he had very quickly become Vox Machina’s official ‘damsel-in-distress’ and getting very tired of it.
Relationships: Keyleth & Scanlan Shorthalt, Percival "Percy" Fredrickstein Von Musel Klossowski de Rolo & Scanlan Shorthalt, Scanlan Shorthalt & Grog Strongjaw, Scanlan Shorthalt & Pike Trickfoot, Scanlan Shorthalt & Vax'ildan, Scanlan Shorthalt & Vex'ahlia, Scanlan Shorthalt & Vox Machina, Scanlan Shorthalt/Pike Trickfoot
Series: Heroes of Tal'Dorei [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2026183
Comments: 3
Kudos: 26





	The Chroma Conclave

Scanlan was in so much trouble when he got home. Vox Machina tended to have a rule about him going out on his own but he had figured it was no big deal. He had taken the job because it was better than before but he had very quickly become Vox Machina’s official ‘damsel-in-distress’ and getting very tired of it.

Vox Machina were in a long term conflict with a group called the Chroma Conclave, a group of five villains seeking to conquer Tal’Dorei. After taking out their member Brimscythe, who was undercover as a man named Krieg, Vox Machina became a target for them. Their leader Thordak was quick to attack and drive them from their base in one fell swoop. Thankfully they had escaped and managed to catch another member named Umbrasyl in the process. 

Scanlan had been in a couple of fights with the Conclave, only using fragments of his powers and often acting as a distraction while hidden. Unfortunately for him, the shadow leader of the Chroma Conclave noticed his contributions. She had taken the form of an ally of Uriel named Asum and had asked to privately meet him with some secret information.

While not as wise as some of the others, he at least managed to let them know that he was meeting with her before he met up with her. ‘Asum’ had told Scanlan to meet ‘him’ in a secluded alleyway out of sight of the cameras to “avoid detection from our enemies”. Normally the gnome would not have listened but Asum had hinted at a secret plan of the conclave and they were out of ideas at the moment.

The second Scanlan was hidden inside the alley, Asum revealed herself to be Raishan and grabbed him. Scanlan let out a small yelp as clawed arms wrapped around his torso and pressed a rag to his nose and mouth. He struggled before going limp at the combination of herbs soaked into the cloth. During the struggle, Raishan was slashed across the cheek by Scanlan’s knife as he flailed.

Angry, she threw him into the back of the car she had stolen for this endeavor and drove away. Raishan regathered herself as she smirked and reported back, “We have our bait, Vox Machina will be gone by the end of the day and we will rise.” There was a chuckle as Thordak commended, “You did well. We are ready, be prepared.”

Scanlan woke up to find himself strapped to a chair and a gag in his mouth. His wrists were pinned to the arms of the chair and his head was held firmly against the back of the chair. His ribs pressed against the strap going across his chest everytime he took a breath. He was thankful that they had not removed his bracelet from Percy.

From the corner of his eye, Scanlan could see Raishan in her true form. Her green scales shimmered with an oily gleam and her stringy dark hair obscured her face. Another form, male with skin that almost seemed charred with veins of fire where it was not scaled, looked him over with a smirk.

Raishan approached their captive and hissed, “Glad to see you’re awake.” Scanlan glared at her and averted his eyes as a clawed hand touched his cheek. He felt the claws flex as she growled, “I ought to return the favor but fortunately for you we have other plans.”

The gnome ignored her, pointedly refusing to acknowledge her presence as the other figure sidled up to him, tilted his chin as far up as it would go, and remarked, his voice like the rumble of a volcano, “So he’s the one they hid in the shadows, interesting.” 

He released his hold on the captive’s face and walked away. Scanlan heard a door creak as it was opened and the man, who must have been Thordak, added, “Turn on the camera, rough him up a bit. After all, Vox Machina needs proof that we’re serious.” The door slammed shut with a final click.

Vax’ildan was pacing worriedly while Keyleth glanced at the clock nervously. Scanlan had been gone for a while and Vox Machina was getting worried. The message Scanlan had left them had sent Grog and Pike out the door ready to haul his miserable butt back home but they had yet to return.

Percy, out of the entire team, was the one to finally try to find Scanlan based on the bracelet he had gifted him. He was almost able to get a read on their friend’s location when a transmission came through on the monitor they were using in lieu of the one lost in the raid. Pike and Grog arrived in time to witness what was happening on screen as Percy allowed the transmission.

They could see Scanlan, strapped down and helpless as the Chroma Conclave attacked. One of the gnome’s eyes and cheeks were bruised and blood dribbled down from his nose. As another fist, coated in white scales, slammed into his gut, Scanlan let out a muffled cry of pain and groaned.

His eyes rolled back in pain as a voice snarled, “If you want your little friend returned in one piece, come home. We have much to discuss.” Scanlan forced himself to focus as he stared at the camera, gasped through the gag, and slowly shook his head no. Someone, one of them with white scales, grabbed his hair and twisted it far enough to make him wince but not pull out any hair. Scanlan returned the gesture by kicking them in the shin with a recently freed ankle. 

There was a groan of pain followed by a muffled yelp as the gnome’s foot was forced back into its restraint a little harder than necessary. A pair of eyes glowed in the background, a pure burning white, as a voice rumbled, “Cut the camera. We’ll be waiting, Vox Machina.” The screen closed out the video box as the location of Scanlan’s bracelet popped up, right at their old headquarters.

Scanlan scowled as much as he could with a black-eye at the Conclave members. A clawed hand squeezed his shoulder, claws sinking into his skin, as Thordak remarked, “Well done. Vorugal, take our guest to his room. Vox Machina should be here soon.”

His chair moved as the gnome realized that there were wheels attached and winced as he shifted. Vorugal grinned as he rolled their captive down a hallway and Scanlan shivered as the temperature slowly decreased as they got further away. From what he could see, there was frost creeping along the walls as Vorugal hissed, “A little place to cool off for you.” 

Realizing where they were and the plan they had, Scanlan managed to choke out enough of a phrase as he summoned the giant spectral hand he’d come to favor. The white-scaled man had enough time to let out the beginning of a phrase when the hand slammed into him. He groaned in pain as the hand shifted towards it’s master and pulled the gag from his mouth. 

Scanlan gasped as the pressure was removed as he coughed, “You’re going to let me go and lock yourself up afterwards.” Vorugal cringed, as though trying to resist, but complied with the order given as Scanlan began to limp back the way he came. 

Sparing a quick glance at his ankle, he saw heavy bruising but forced himself to continue. His torso was aching from the blows he had taken and there were bruises creeping into existence on his face. Lungs wheezing with every breath, Scanlan managed to hobble all the way back to where he started.

It was empty and quiet, not a sign of the last two members of the Chroma Conclave. He leaned against the wall heavily and let out a breathy sigh. It was a few minutes, though it felt like seconds, before he took a steadying breath and continued his search for a way out. 

He made it down to one of the halls of their old base that would eventually turn into an exit. It was dark, the lights had been out of sorts since the first explosion had struck the base, and the ground seemed to be shaking- though that could have been him.

There were shouts, far away, that nearly sent Scanlan in the other direction except that he heard a gunshot. It was familiar, too familiar to ever Scanlan running away, and the gnome hurried towards the sound.

The scene was filled with complete chaos when he arrived, attacks flying back and forth and powers on full display. He could see Vax’ildan vanishing and reappearing from the shadows around Thordak with Percival unleashing bullet after bullet while Vex’ahlia caught sight of their friend and sent Trinket over to protect him.

Pike and Grog were attacking Raishan, cornering her and beating her bloody, when they heard Trinket let out a happy moan and turned away for a moment. Raishan followed their gaze and hissed as she caught sight of their captive climbing onto the back of the bear. 

Thordak’s gaze also fell onto the gnome’s escape and shouted, “Take care of that little pest! Today Vox Machina falls!” Raishan allowed a green energy to coalesce in her hands as she muttered a few hissed words and hurled the mass at Scanlan.

He had no time to react as the mass slammed into him and knocked him from his mount. Scanlan could hear Trinket moaning and there was muffled screaming that he knew was not coming from him, his throat was swollen enough he could not even speak.

Scanlan’s head rolled to the side as he gasped for air and darkness encroached on his vision. Panicking, he reached for something to hold onto that would help ground him. He felt fur and grabbed at it as his toes began to tingle and numb.

Scanlan glanced down and saw his shoes changing from leather to stone. The transformation was slowly creeping upward he realized. Soon his pants were nothing more than well-carved stone. The gnome turned towards the combat, just in time to see Vax’ildan plunge his dagger into the hollow of Thordak’s throat as Grog shattered Raishan’s skull on the floor.

Pike was already on her way to Scanlan’s side, hand aglow, as the latter took in her panic. He looked on, feeling the cold numbness reach his throat and begin to invade his expression. It had only been a few seconds, but it was enough time for him to smile one last time as the darkness overtook him. The last thing he saw was the tears in Pike’s eyes shining in the light of her divine powers and still he thought her the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

Warmth surrounded Scanlan Shorthalt, the darkness wrapped him within her arms and shielded him from any more pain. He would feel safe; were it not for the feeling that he did not belong there. He could hear something, it was faint but there, and he began to shift away from the dark’s embrace. 

It was voices, he could not place them, and then it struck him; he knew those voices. Friends.  _ His _ friends. Calling him desperately, begging him to come back. He pulled away from the warmth and its grasping fingers as he followed their pleas towards a beacon of light. 

For a moment, he could swear that the light was extending her reach to him as the light beckoned, “Come with me child.” He hesitated for a moment, too many betrayals in his life to entirely trust the light’s promises, and the darkness whispered, “Return, it is not yet your time. They need you.”

He felt something push him closer as the hand gently wrapped around his torso and cradled him against her chest as she whispered, “My child calls you, Scanlan Shorthalt. Go!” The light grew to be too much and he shut his eyes against the brightness of her hold. He was thrust towards something rapidly, the wind blew past him faster and faster as he heard the calls growing louder until it was one layered shriek calling, “ **SCANLAN!** ”

Scanlan groaned in pain as every muscle in his body became aware of the stiffness that had overtaken him. There was something wet on his face and the ground beneath him was cold. Slowly, he opened his eyes, blinking as he tried to see what was around him. 

His head was propped against armored thighs as he looked up to see Pike crying over him, her hands resting on both sides of his face. Tears streamed down her face and she let out a stuttered gasp of relief before leaning down and pressing her lips to his head. 

Beside her was Grog, his fists firmly placed at his sides as they shook. There was a wetness to his eyes Scanlan had never seen on him before. Immediately, he swore to never let that look appear again, especially not because of him.

The twins Vax’ildan and Vex’ahlia were holding his hands and each other’s. As he glanced at them, he saw their teary faces turn into watery smiles and squeezed their hands. Scanlan returned the gesture with as much strength as he could muster and softly whispered, “Hey, you guys.”

He heard a hysterical giggle from behind Vax’ildan and his gaze landed on Keyleth, soft sobs turning into wet laughter as she turned into Percy’s side to sigh in relief. Her body shuddered with relief against the human’s side as his face allowed a cracked smile to break onto his face. He was not crying, but Scanlan could see that it was close, and was patting Keyleth’s back.

Feeling rushed back into his body and he let out a small cry of pain and hissed. Pike’s hands pulled him against her chest and felt around for any more damage. He managed to grab hold of her hands as he wheezed, “ ‘m fine. Just a little sore.” 

She stopped her motions but Scanlan felt her tense as she scolded, “Scanlan Shorthalt! Don’t you dare try that ‘I’m fine’ bullshit with me! You were just turned to stone and I had to bring you back!” He winced as he sheepishly shrugged and whispered, “Sorry.” 

Pike sighed as she lifted him into her arms, holding him close to her chest and letting him rest his head against her shoulder. He smiled and allowed her to carry him, not that he could ever refuse her, away from the remains of their decimated base.

Though she was careful not to jostle him, he still flinched when something aggravated his injuries. With every motion of pain, the rest of Vox Machina would wish that they had a chance to inflict it on the Conclave.

Later, Tal’Dorei officers would find the bloody remains of Thordak and Raishan. Vorugal was lucky enough to be taken away in cuffs to join the other living members of the Chroma Conclave in prison. The authorities left messages for Vox Machina that they knew would go unanswered as they nursed their family member back to health.

Scanlan groaned and crossed his arms as he exclaimed, “I’m  _ fine! _ Seriously!” Pike shot him an unimpressed look as she pushed him back against his pillow with hardly any effort. His ribs were wrapped in bandages and a healing salve. Propped on a small pillow was his healing ankle, also wrapped thoroughly. The swelling around his eye was already going down but there was still yellow bruising that had yet to fade.

A slender hand patted his thigh, careful not to hurt the recovering gnome, as Vax’ildan assured him, “It’s just to be safe, Shorty. Don’t want to make anything worse.” Scanlan huffed and tried to sit up. 

Instantly, Grog and Vax were helping him shift as Pike chided, “Stop squirming! You’ll hurt your ribs!” Scanlan resisted the urge to stick his tongue out as he knew that she would  _ not _ react kindly. He allowed their help as Pike placed an ice pack against his chest and told him, “I know you don’t like being stuck here but it’s just until you heal. I’d do it but I lost a lot of energy bringing you back.” 

Scanlan sighed and stuck his bottom lip out and dramatically pouted at her. She smiled and kissed his cheek, just below his bruised eye, with a chuckle. He smiled at the kiss and allowed her to fluff his pillow as she remarked, “In the meantime, you get to enjoy being pampered by the rest of us. How’s that sound?” 

He hummed contentedly as Vax snuck another pillow behind his back to ease the pressure on his ribs while he was talking to Pike. Grog had gone off to get some food that Keyleth was cooking. Scanlan could hear Percy and Vex talking as they approached his room. A teasing smirk played upon his lips as he sighed, “If that’s how you feel, I guess I’ll have to make do.” 


End file.
